Deal | The 15-inch Apple MacBook Air 15-inch M5 is currently $150 off at multiple retailers

If you’re not a fan of Apple’s latest MacBook Neo with its crippling memory offering, then your best bet in terms of longevity is Apple’s entry-level 15.3-inch MacBook Air with the M5 chip, which trades at a significantly higher price tag, but a recent discount might make things simpler.

Apple’s 15-Inch MacBook Air M5 Drops to $1,149 With Free Shipping

Currently, this fifth-generation Apple silicon MacBook Air configuration with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is on sale at Best Buy and Amazon for $1,149, a neat $150 off its original ask of $1,299. The price cut also also seems to extend across the board with the same discount on 1TB and 2TB variants of the same MacBook model with multiple retailers.

It’s easily one of the best entry-level MacBooks to get if you're a light-to-medium user who’s looking to do daily tasks, schoolwork, and light creative workflows without breaking the bank. To make the deal even sweeter, the MacBook Air is available with free shipping in many regions, depending on your location. Furthermore, it’s available in four colorways: Midnight, Silver, Sky Blue, and Starlight.

The best value-centric entry-level MacBook?

So, why should you go with the base 15-inch MacBook Air with the M5 chip in the first place? The M5 MacBook Air features an impressive design and delivers performance approaching that of M‑series Pro-level chips in a larger 15-inch form factor. It also happens to be a fairly recent release with the updated SKU available since March 2026.

The M5 MacBook Air features an M5 chip with a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU (base models are 8-core), a noticeable step up from last year’s M4-based Air. Apple claims the M5 MacBook Air delivers up to 11% faster single-core performance with similar multi-core performance, while the GPU can offer up to 30% greater performance in supported workloads.

A versatile offering for users looking for a daily driver

For everyday users looking for a snappy laptop that instantly opens and runs multiple Safari tabs, plays back videos for long hours, and handles Zoom calls and light video editing in apps like Adobe Premiere without getting uncomfortably hot to the touch, this is a compelling option.

As for battery life, the MacBook Air with the M5 chip is rated for up to 18 hours of use and features a crisp Liquid Retina display with a peak brightness of 500 nits and a 2880 x 1864 resolution panel.

However, for those looking to get a large aesthetic upgrade, it is worth noting that Apple hasn’t significantly updated the MacBook Air's exterior design since 2022, which isn't exactly an issue; the existing chassis is already sturdy and attractive, and one could argue the obvious: if it isn't broken, don't fix it.

Connectivity options are ample, with the MacBook Air offering two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a headphone jack, which some may find pleasantly surprising for a modern ultraportable. The webcam is sharper than many mainstream laptop offerings, thanks to its 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View. For a detailed review, check out our coverage of the new MacBook Air M5 here.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.